Britains Next Top Coach - Bobby's Top 10

We might be living in challenging times but the 10 people below have some hints, tips and ideas to help you. Click on any image to visit their profile page. If you connect with them and like what they say then vote for them.

Why have I shortlisted the following people? Because I'm biased.
They are already friends I know, have met and/or am connected to on Facebook.

Jules Wyman - meet at YES Group and Chris Howard Seminar, from York

Elliot Kay - met at Your Life Your Legacy, XL member, Play To Win and lots of other seminars :-) from London

Una Doyle - meet at YES Group, from Leeds

Emma Stiles - met at Play To Win, from Manchester

Anne Smith - met at Play To Win, from Norwich

Mary Dempsey - met on NLP Practitioner Course, from St. Albans

Marie-Claire Carlyle - met on Bob Proctor Cruise, from Chester

Trevor Hoskisson - met on Bob Proctor Cruise, from Taunton

Jimmy Petruzzi - Fellow Northerner from Prestwich, Manchester :-)

So there's your Top 10 to choose from!

What's that!? There's only nine?
Well they were the only coaches I knew who are in the running - and I didn't enter to give everyone else a chance.
If I was number 10, your vote would be a given as you're reading this blog post. For now though, check out the above contestants and give the one that you connect with most, your vote. Bobby




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Slumdog Millionaire - What would you do to get what you wanted?

What would you do to be a winner? And what is the dream you're really aiming for?

This is an uplifting film about a boy's journey through life and his struggles and challenges, culminating in being on the Who Wants To be a Millionaire show in India. It is told in flashbacks from Jamal Malik being on the show and accused of cheating.

A tea-boy in a call centre, he is now on the last question to win 20,000,000 Rupees.

How did he do it?
A: He cheated
B; He's lucky
C: He is a genius
D: It is written

Thankfully the film is not really about the TV show or the money, otherwise it could have been a pretty formula movie. Instead it pulls you into the film giving you an inside view of people living in the slums of India and the hardships they face daily that you wouldn't even imagine or wish upon anyone. You feel as you are there as they run around the streets as kids, hustle for money and run along trains.
Focusing on the life of one boy, his brother and the girl he falls for. Their journey over the years and a story of hope, first love and destiny. It is funny and sad and have you on the edge of your seat throughout, making you laugh, cry and feel for the characters. Reminding you of how grateful you should be for what you do have in your life every day.

A heart warming film about love, life and hope. It is a wonderful story of destiny and that our fate has already been written and gives us the answers as and when we need them. Sometimes you want the answer and at other times you may wish you never knew and didn't ever have to know.

Each part of the film weaves the story together and is an essential piece of the whole jigsaw. It reminded me of M. Night Shyamalan's Signs

Does he get the money, the girl and have his dreams come true? You'll have to watch it to find out. Oh and remember to phone a friend to take with you ;-)


Some people are so passionate that they don't know how to give up and do whatever it takes, like Jamal, hopefully you are one of them too!

Live, laugh and love your way through life; because it is already written!
You just have to believe it and not give up on your passion and that which you hold dear. What is already written for you and what will you write for tomorrow!?


http://www.youtube.com/v/AIzbwV7on6Q

This is a British film production with Danny Boyle directing and starring upcoming talent in the form of Dev Patel and Freida Pinto

Poster uses D: Destiny, the film has D: It is written (which I find more profound)



Based on the book Q and A: Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup.

"Former tiffinboy Ram Mohammad Thomas has just got twelve questions correct on a TV quiz-show to win a cool one billion rupees. But he is brutally slung in prison on suspicion of cheating. Because how can a kid from the slums know who Shakespeare was, unless he is pulling a fast one. In the order of the questions on the show, Ram tells us which amazing adventures in his street-kid life gave him the answers. From orphanages to brothels, gangsters to beggar-masters, and into the homes of Bollywood's rich and famous, Ram's story is brimming with the chaotic comedy, heart-stopping tragedy and tear-inducing joyousness of modern India."

Friends, resolutions and elephants in 2009!

Thought I'd avoid the New Year Eve's rush and wait a day to wish all my friends, including YOU, a fabulous New Year.

From those friends that I've met and catch up with regularly, to those that are currently just pixels or occasional pokes and messages on facebook. By the time I'd get round to sending everyone a personal new year message it would be Easter and Facebook would have banned me for spamming! Maybe that's not a bad idea, I'd get to log off and have more me time in '09! I just wish random people would stop adding me as it sure makes quality time more challenging. I'd really like to know how the serial networkers manage their relationships with people!?
You can't outsource your friends, I tried and customer services just sent them back! ;-)


To everyone who has had the pleasure of making me dinner, eating with me, letting me sleep on their couch and the text messages and all night phone conversations, I'd like to say a big THANK YOU! Your friendship and time has made more of a difference than you can imagine, so please keep adding value and touching the lives around you and the people that you meet.


If you've been putting things off till New Year. Whoomph... here it is!
Who said you had to wait for a certain day to change your life? Well, now that it's here are you already worried about your New Year's resolutions? Some set resolutions, others goals, some have plans and others hope they didn't tell too many people, so they don't even have to try.

You've heard it before and I'll say it again - "People overestimate what they can accomplish in a year, but they underestimate what they can accomplish in more."
If you think your goal(s) may be too big to achieve in a year, put it out to the end of 2010 and increase it in size at the same time (not going to make it that easy for you).
AND more importantly, chunk it down to something more manageable and achievable for the next month - or week if you prefer.
How do you eat an elephant? The answer is, one bite at a time. So take a piece and chew!

Know that you can do whatever you want in life, as long as you are prepared to take those small definitive steps in the direction of your goal. The smaller steps to achieving your goals will get ticked off faster than you focusing on the destination and in no time you will be there. Once the momentum builds up you will be unstoppable!


Today is New Year's Day and the first day of the rest of your life. Start it as you mean to go on, decisions are made in the now!

2009 will be a better year for love, health, finances, career and of course fun! You just have to believe it; I do! Remember, you could eat an elephant if you wanted to.

'Worry looks around, sorry looks back, Faith looks up.' Here's to looking up at you as I look forward to catching up with all of you in 2009, no matter where in the world you are.

All the best and take care,

Your friend, Bobby :-)

Gratitude - Life changing moments and souls

Have you ever met someone that you felt such a connection to that you can't describe it in words? With friends or strangers, who are real kindred spirits. Like meeting others that you just click with and get along with instantly or finding the friends / family you thought you never had.

It is like explaining that which can't be explained and you don't have the vocabulary or understanding of; or to put into words that which cannot be consciously understood or make sense. It might happen only a few times in your life, yet you will never forget, you know what I mean. If not, imagine time just seeming to stop and infinity folding back onto itself, there is only 'now' and the moment you are in. Do you get the picture and hear what I'm saying?

Things in life happen for a reason, there are no real random events. You meet the people you need to and chose to realise that things just had to be that way.
Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time!? No - because it's not possible, there is only the right place at the right time... ALWAYS, else you wouldn't be here, right now!

I met a couple of people like that, especially one. Someone who you 'know' for the true person that they are to their soul and they see and 'know' the real you as well. You touch each others lives and feel it to the core.

There is no need for the false facades and masks that people wear everyday, as they are just thin veils hiding you from the world. The only thing that truly matters is who you are. Fortunately there is nowhere to hide sometimes, after all, why would you want to!?

Occasionally, if you are lucky and have been really good, you meet those rare people that see right through and accept you for your true self, no matter how you or others may have judged you in the past. After all, it is not what you left behind you long ago but the choices you make today that shape your future.

Even the random guy who took our picture on the last night felt it and was nearly in tears, yet no-one really knew or could explain why. It was difficult to leave but there was comfort in knowing it is just an endless moment in time - and we will meet again.

Those fellow voyagers in life, new acquaintances and lifelong friends; I am so grateful for all these people I have been fortunate enough to have be given the opportunity to meet and share a part of my life with. They gave my life a whole new meaning and direction. And I sometimes wonder about those who I met along the way, on this simple journey of life, that may be thankful for having met me too.

You should cherish all those people and moments too, they are few and far between but that is exactly why they are so special.

I'd come back with something so much better than I'd expected or hoped to find on a ship in the Caribbean.

Some people thought it was the end of the cruise and a wonderful time, little did they realise, it is just the beginning!

Bob Proctor Cruise

Bob Proctor Cruise - Caribbean October 2008

Have you ever found yourself going somewhere for one thing and coming back with something completely different yet so much better?

The cruise was brilliant. The cabin was plush with a balcony and the restaurants and free food on board was tasty and bountiful. I was taking time off being vegetarian and tee-total, just for the week! The staff and crew were awesome. The Holland America, Eurodam was like a 5 star hotel on water.

There were seminars every day for those people that wanted to attend, with speakers such as Bob Proctor, Paul Martinelli, Vic Johnson, Mark Victor Hansen, Peggy McColl and Rev. Michael Beckwith to name a few. I was just there to hang out and unwind after a testing year. I deserved a holiday and was going to have one. Also met Stefanie who was from Quebec and she really was on holiday and only attended one talk. Now that's what I'm talking about...holiday!!!

The atmosphere on the ship was electric. There were around 1800 people from all round the world. Four of us had flown into Miami and Anita had flown into Orlando with another 10 people. The London (UK) crew were strong and we just ran into more and more, like Trudy, Mitul and Dimple and we also adopted a few Americans as well (they needed looking after!) including Joe, Stacey and April. Some of the other fab people were Debi, Tobie, Lito, Willard, Ron, Cathy, Becky, Carol (mom) and the list could go on...
Sometimes it may seem that meetings are just chance, when they are really serendipitous.

One night we'd booked tables, for dinner, for 20 people and ended up with over 30!!

We stopped off to go Bananas in the Bahamas with everyone and Michelle, Dimple, Alex and myself ended up on the beach.

When we stopped in Jamaica I went to the beach again with Joe, Cassandra and Maria. When Alex, Anita and Nicky showed up, Joe and myself decided to Jam in Jamaica with some Wray and Nephew. It was stronger than we though but it was all good. We laughed our way back to the ship to set sail.

Being at sea and a night owl, the only place to go was the local dance club on board, the Northern Lights. Every night, till close most nights, it was the place to be. One girl came and politely asked if she could dance with me, I was a little stunned and hastily replied, 'sure, as long as you don't fight with the other girls'. At the time, to me, it sounded really funny and people that knew me would have thought the same. She didn't and turned and walked away, hmmm... really need to work on my communicating with women skills and bottling that humour when necessary. We literally rocked that ship all night, every night and people joked about the harem of women around all the time. What can I say, people that know how to have fun, party and enjoy life know where it's happening! Lito asked me "Everyone knows your true self comes out at 3am on a cruise ship! Share." So I shared, "Your true self is always there! The more fun you're having and being surrounded by wonderful people, the more you will shine... 3am is just incidental! Dancing like a chicken and not caring what others think also helps ;-)"
Maybe I'll do a 3am motivational seminar on the next cruise in The Northern Lights.

I really enjoyed the meal times and socialising. It was great sitting with and meeting new people from all around the world and backgrounds. One night we'd stayed up till 4am then couldn't sleep. So after getting my foot back from April (you had to be there to understand), Anita, Stacey and myself went on deck for late night/early morning talks. Waking up in time to go to breakfast and Mary Morrisey's talk. Then I had breakfast again with some other friends and back to bed! I actually slept whilst people visited the Cayman Islands, but I can't have missed anything as I wasn't there.

Nika had 'picked' fellow passengers for breakfast that really did have strong opposing view points. We had fun with it and carried on with our day instead of feeling challenged. The following day we found ourselves attracting and sat with more gracious and friendly people, that 'picked' us, of one which was Scott who gave us some gratitude coins that he has designed and is producing.

Funnily enough the only souvenir I bought was a wristband in Jamaica, that I forgot on the ship. Even immigration asked if I'd bought anything when I disembarked to which I replied 'no, but I ate a lot!'

So thank you Scott for that physical reminder of a wonderful time and fantastic memories with some awesome people and new found friends!

So much happened that writing about it all on here would only do it an injustice... see you on the next cruise!

Facebook - is it really social?

How strong are the friend links with social networking?

Friends usually expect me to have the answers, this time you'll just find questions for you to do the searching.

Are we losing real contact with one another for the sake of having more 'contacts'?



People add 'friends' and still don't communicate with those friends. Is it a way to feel like you have a group of friends so that you don't feel alone in the big wide world? When was the last time you replied to your friend's message asking how you are?

Some people have added you from school or where you used to work - though beyond an 'add' neither party really cares about the other.

I believe that many facebook ties are weak and a comfort factor for people. They feel a connectedness without being connected. A 'poke' or a 'funwall' post covers having to really interact with anyone. Don't even get me started on all the applications. When was the last time you called your friend?

Facebook is good to meet new people and join groups with similar interests, yet if you can't take this into the real world was it really worth the effort?


The good
If you happen to already have friends, then facebook is a good way to stay in touch and message each other, building on an existing relationship. You can also use it to create meetings/parties and go see your friends. Or if they live too far at least pick up the phone and say HI! Those are your real friends.

The bad
Others are using it to promote their businesses which is acceptable. Until they start to 'spam' people that they don't know by using the weak connection and then going in with a sales pitch. Some even leave random messages like "I'm Good Thanks" implying to other friends they know the person who they've left it for - very sneaky! They should look at my post on social marketing and Web 2.0 and learn!
Luckily there is a privacy and limited profile option that comes in handy. I can try to protect my friends from people that just want to network and build contacts or those I'm not sure who they are by hiding my friends list. They still manage to find the contacts through various groups you sign up. Until some trust is built, it will stay this way. An over reaction? Maybe, maybe not. As networks and users grow, this concern is a growing risk.

Yes I've got so many I don't keep count now, after all who am I to reject people who want to add me as a friend. I'm not sure who 20% of them are. Can anyone really keep a quality connection with more than a couple of hundred people? Or do some people like the quantity!?

And the ugly - Security and background check
In today's age there are people who are setting up false emails and profiles then pretending to know other people to increase their contact list; just because they are on someone's friends or contacts list doesn't mean they even know each other or are genuine people! There is a particular guy in Huddersfield that runs a letting agency who has numerous aliases and tells people he is the friend of other influential individuals in order to gain trust!! So beware and check credentials!
If you are contacted by someone that claims to know me (or another friend) you can always ask me (or them) if that is the case, you'll be surprised at how many people aren't really sure if they know them or have never communicated.


I can reassure you that if we have met, I will be in touch and am not just another face ;-) So if you only wanted to make up numbers to look popular, delete me quick before I come knocking on your door! :-)

Bobby likes to deal with real people in the real world!
Facebook is just for fun and to keep up appearances...

Easter - a weekend of reflection on the past

I got a call from my friends Sophie T, Michael and Jo on Sunday evening. Sophie always call on bank holidays and Christmas to catch up. Everyone else I knew, from the days of drinking, are so busy they don't even call then. It was about 10.30pm and I thought what the hell, facebook can wait ;-)

It was a great night in town at The Cotton Factory, then on to Tokyo's for some dancing. With some classics playing it always takes you back to the 'good old days' - just as we write new chapters in that book to reminisce about in the future!

Michael asked me where I'd been recently and if I was getting picky with who I hang out with. Picky was right! Just that people have always been choosy in the past whether they talk to me or not - and now I still am picky, as I only give people time who have time for me. Those that call and want to hang out get my 'pickiness' over those that don't. Not the answer he was looking back - but the truth. He still doesn't understand the whole Tony Robbins thing and has decided to quit smoking on his own accord without 'motivation', so well done to him!

I was walking Jo back to the car when I mentioned I don't run into dick heads anymore, like I used to in 2006, I've only met really wonderful people since 2007. I then started to weave and she though I was drunk, little did she know I was avoiding the chav, with the knife in his hand, walking in the same direction - had I spoken too soon about dick heads!? Luckily, we managed to walk past and avoid him - it just reminded me why I don't go out in town as often as I used to.

My new crowd were focused on improving their lives and the world around them, whilst there were others around still busy getting drunk and fighting...

The night didn't end on a downer - quite the opposite. I'd learnt that it was always best to leave and go home whilst you were still ahead!
I also realised that I've learnt from my past mistakes and all the time I was busy chasing people and giving them my time, making me a walk over - they didn't respect it. Givers always gain, though life is about give and take. And the sooner we understand that, the easier things become.
The good thing about going through such 'learnings' is that you can choose not to repeat the same mistakes again and move forward.
People still don't know what I do for 'work' and it doesn't matter - you're probably reading this and thinking the same! My friends are my friends for who we are as genuine people, not the silly things society thinks we need to weigh others up with!

If anyone wants to call me, they know where I am - and I have all the time in the world for you :-)
If you don't, then no hard feelings and I wish you all the best with your life.

--------------
It's also great when I meet people who tell me they read my blog (Alex S. yesterday) or say I'm funny (Ettore M. and Michael), not just annoying as I sometimes think. Feedback is important in life - it shows you what you're doing right and what you need to change.
They have no idea why they read my blog, just as I have no idea why I write it - the fact that someone, somewhere does bother and appreciates my thoughts keeps me going with it.
So please do post your comments to let me know you visited and help me find out if my life is headed in the right direction.

Peter Sage's Dynamic Party

What a great night! After a couple of invites from Tony Robbins crew and YES friends, Peter Sage kindly acknowledged me as an official gate crasher! :-)

And am I glad he did. What a great party. Peter is a top bloke and his friends are the best! Thankfully we share these, so they're not all his - and they can be yours too if you're lucky!

I travelled to Leicester in the snow (is it Easter or Christmas!?) to be the driver for Phil, Anita, Andrea, Karen and Stephanie A from their hotel. When we arrived at Pete's lovely home the party was pumping and there was very little parking. It was Pete's Leaving Do and he was off to Canada. People had travelled from all over England and Scotland to wish him well and see him off.

Lots of partying, dancing, plenty of food and vino, for those non-teetotal-ers and juice / water for designated Dave's! I had to call it a night at 4.30am. DynamicMike on the other hand was just warming up!

It was almost like a facebook party for me as I got to meet those that had been 'friends' for so long that it was time to actually meet up. A few of them were, apologies if I miss you, Edith and Tim, Alex and Matt from Norwich, Gill from Glasgow and Mike from Edinburgh. Londoners and others were Mac, Karl, Harry, Maya, Gil, Minesh to name a few. These and all the other's really did make the party, it was great hanging round such wonderful people and nice to see they'd all made the effort to come on such a cold and snowy day.

Want to know more about the party!? Sorry if you missed out - you just had to be there! Ask any of the other guests/friends what they thought or see the pics on facebook and maybe even some vids on youtube!

It was a blizzard on the motorway and I arrived back in Hudds for about 6am and it was like a crisp, snowy Christmas morning. I hope you've had a great Easter weekend.

Enjoy the rest of the week and let's look forward to the next holiday / get-together wherever it might me.

Here's wishing a Happy Easter to all the great people there and those that couldn't make it.

Bobby :-)